The grants are part of a £10m cash boost split between eight projects. 

Protecting iconic landscapes

With Wales famous for its rugged landscapes, the rocky island of Ynys Cybi off the western coast of Anglesey, and the imposing Carneddau uplands area of northern Snowdonia, are no exception.

Thanks to a combined £2.8m National Lottery grant, both landscapes will benefit from extensive conservation and enhanced protection of their important natural habitat as well as historic features, like dry stone walls and other buildings.

The projects will see a series of community education activities for local people, ranging from outdoor classrooms and Citizen Science projects to recording people’s memories of living and working in the area.

Visitors and locals alike will also benefit from improved footpaths and walking trails.

The investment will ensure these beautiful landscapes are well protected but still able to be enjoyed for many years to come.

Nurturing Wales’ wildlife

Rare and endangered species are the focus of three projects, which have received a combined £1.2m National Lottery grant. Reptiles and amphibians – from newts and toads to grass snakes and adders – as well as red squirrels will be given a helping hand to survive and thrive. The public will also be given the chance to get involved and learn more about protecting these important species.

A new wildlife centre will also be created at the Cors Dyfi nature reserve in mid Wales. This will improve the overall visitor experience for osprey enthusiasts who visit the popular site to marvel at the breeding pair of these once-extinct birds of prey as they bring up their young.

All eight projects:

1. National Broadcast Archive for Wales (£4,751,000 to The National Library of Wales)
2. Carneddau Landscape Partnership Scheme (£1,719,500 to Snowdonia National Park Authority)
3. Ynys Cybi: Our Island Gem Landscape Partnership Scheme (£1,146,000 to Isle of Anglesey County Council)
4. Maesteg Townhall Redevelopment (£774,900 to Bridgend County Borough Council)
5. Dyfi Wildlife Centre (£525,500 to Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust)
6. Connecting the Dragons: restoring reptile and amphibian populations and habitats in South Wales (£428,700 to the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust)
7. Healthy Reds (£247,100 to Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales)
8. Nevern Tower and Bells Project (£123,600 to Nevern Church)